BBC news - it’s the details that matter

Richard Porter describes the difficulties in delivering the news when details are sketchy - such as the recent Iraqi truck bombings, and flooding in North Korea.

However, in my opinion, the problem with media in general isn’t lack of details on breaking stories - it’s the insertion of suspect details in more in-depth coverage.

For example, all too often we hear any terrorist attacks where there are US interests too quickly attributed to “Al Qaeda”.

Additionally, I’m seeing too many reports repeating US military claims of having killed “terrorists/militants/insurgents” only for the report to be followed by claims civilians were hit.

By then, the propaganda has gained continued leverage and a general sense of US disinformation continues to pervade media.

I appreciate the BBC has a difficult task trying to report the news, and in accurate detail - all without apparent bias.

I just sincerely hope I can see continued caution on the BBC when filling in the details, and that just because a military or government claims a certain thing, that their wording - and potential spin - isn’t simply regurgitated as “fact” and therefore news.

(Note - I had tried to post this on the BBC Editors Blog but received an error that I wasn’t allowed to post. As I’m on a dynamic IP from British Telecom, and know them to be frequently abused by spammers, I’m presuming I fell into a IP block)